Wold Top Brewery in Driffield has won the national Best Growth Story category in the GREAT Faces of British Business competition. The Business is GREAT Britain campaign launched the competition in November 2014, in association with BT Business, to find the most innovative and exciting UK businesses. It drew to a close today with an awards ceremony at the BT Tower in London.
Named Britain’s Best Growth Story, Wold Top Brewery impressed both the national judging panel and the public, with a high number of online votes cast in its favour. Winners were selected by a combination of the public vote and national judges’ scores. They received their award from Danny Longbottom, Managing Director of BT’s UK SME Business. A full list of national winners and the regional shortlist is available at: www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/competition.
Driffield-based Wold Top Brewery produces real ales from its own high quality home and Wolds-grown malting barley. In its first year, Wold Top Brewery converted a barn into its microbrewery and production was 300 gallons per week – at that time it had no paid staff. In 2014, production is up to 4,300 gallons per week and in the next year, the brewery will increase in size by 150%. The national judges commented that “the rate of production now has real momentum and is supported by a growing domestic and international customer base.”
Gill Mellor, Director of Wold Top Brewery said:
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have been crowned a national winner of the GREAT Faces of British Business competition. Winning this award truly sets us apart from the competition in our field, and we hope we will inspire other small businesses everywhere to foster their success. We would strongly recommend any small business owner to visit www.greatbusiness.gov.uk to access the wealth of support and advice available from the Government to help your company grow.”
In total, four awards were presented at the GREAT Faces of British Business competition ceremony: Britain’s Best Exporter; Most Innovative Small Business; Best Growth Story, and the top Grand Prix prize. The Grand Prix prize winner will receive a bespoke creative advertising campaign worth £30,000, along with an iPad Air and complimentary unlimited BT Wi-Fi for 12 months, courtesy of BT Business. Each of the three national winners will also receive an iPad Air and complimentary unlimited BT Wi-Fi for 12 months.
In addition, the winner will also receive a package of export support from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI). UKTI works with UK businesses to help them succeed in international markets and supports the Business is GREAT Britain campaign, with the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS).
Business Minister Matthew Hancock said:
“We’re backing the entrepreneurs and the innovators who run the small firms driving our economic recovery. The GREAT Faces of British Business competition is all about celebrating their successes.
“Following the public vote, Wold Top Brewery in Yorkshire and Humber has been named Best Growth Story. They are an inspiration to other businesses across the country looking to grow, and are the living proof that there has never been a better time to start and grow a business in the UK”.
Steve Rathborne, Director of Sales, BT Business said:
“As an organisation, BT Business wants to help and support small businesses to succeed. Great Britain has a pedigree of producing innovative and successful businesses and leaders, and the national winners that have been selected accurately reflect the quality of British business and its excellence across industries.
“That’s why we’re supporting the Business is GREAT Britain campaign in order to discover and champion the entrepreneurial talent that’s out there and to give businesses an opportunity to boost their fortunes even further through a marketing package and business support from BT Business and UKTI.”
The Business is GREAT Britain campaign aims to celebrate and inspire small businesses and is run by BIS and UKTI. It provides relevant advice and information for small and medium sized enterprises looking to grow, hire, export, lead and access finance. There is a single place for all businesses to go for help: www.greatbusiness.gov.uk.
BT provides communications services to around 900,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK and to over 6,500 corporate and public sector organisations in countries across the world.